Negative Thought Patterns

[rideembarefoot]

I'm wondering if others have read Steve's article How to Squash Negative Thought Patterns and how much success they have had. I have tried many approaches over the past decade or more and only had minimal success. I'm wondering how effective is the technique of using the the swish pattern from NLP and a memory technique known as chaining.

Thanks.

[daredevil83]

I'm wondering how effective is the technique of using the the swish pattern from NLP and a memory technique known as chaining.

Well... Test it. Don't look at the others, just try if it works for you. There aren't universal methods for anyone.
There are some factors that will have impact on your outcome. The first and most important is your level of skills in mnemotechnics and NLP - if you're experienced, you will problably find this method very easy and enjoy it. Otherwise it could be hard at the beginning. But, mnemotechnics - chain method - just works.
The second is your skill in identyfying negative patterns. For me, it's rather hard, because it's very easy to overlook it.
The third is your level of self-discipline.

[CroMagna]

I am interested in knowing this too. Can someone please explain to be briefly how this strategy works?

[lifetimelearner]

nope haven't read the article
but probably will now

NLP did not work for me

[TonyToneTone]

I haven't read that article but what worked for me was this. I wrote out affirmations of my ideal me;
"I'm confident.
I'm happy
I'm grateful for"

and so on and three times a day I would read these affirmations to myself. Over time (within a month), my negative thought patterns stopped as they became overcome with these new positive beliefs I was instilling in myself.

Also at the end of every night I would review my day. I would ask myself what I did wrong, then see it, and see how I should have handled it. I would then ask myself what I did right, see it and then do more of it. Over time you will do more of the good and less of the bad. Then I would name ten things I am grateful for and go to sleep.

Try it out.

[Eisho]

Originally Posted by rideembarefoot

I'm wondering if others have read Steve's article How to Squash Negative Thought Patterns and how much success they have had. I have tried many approaches over the past decade or more and only had minimal success. I'm wondering how effective is the technique of using the the swish pattern from NLP and a memory technique known as chaining.

Thanks.

Personally I have had a lot of success with NLP. What I have found is that much of the usefulness of it is dependent on the ability of the subject to visualize. I also use it with clients but with mixed results. Those who have a vivid imagination benefit far more from it.

So I would suggest you try it and see what results you get. Just use simple stuff like the swish technique (which you can study from a variety of sources) and see how it goes. If you get results, attempt something harder or seek out an NLP coach.

I have to say though that I don't regard NLP as a panacea.

Cheers,

Eisho

[WordKeeper]

Where is Steve's article? I would like to read it.

I have found great help using Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz's Four Steps which he designed for OCD but which I use for negative thoughts. Here is a link giving a brief description. I first learned of this process from his book The Mind and The Brain, a fascinating description of Schwartz' work in neuroplasticity.

Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz' Four Steps - Westwood Institute for Anxiety Disorders

I also find EFT very effective in getting to the source of the negative thoughts and then eradicating them.

The greatest difficulty is in identifying the negative thoughts as DareDevil wrote. For me they creep in often at unconscious levels. I cannot eradicate them if I am not aware of them. But one big hint for me is when I am avoiding doing something that is foremost on my To Do list.

[Lauxa]

Here's a link to the article, for those interested:
How to Squash Negative Thought Patterns

[prateek777sharma]

sat nam

yeah rightly said,there are no universal methods....everything varies from person to person.i have not tried NLP but here is what has done it for me:

First of all to be free from something,that thing must be recognized as being present.so i instead of pushing the negative patterns away ,became aware of them.Just that.Just became watchful and aware of them.And i found that when i didnot try to push them away or do anything to them,they just started clearing out,and very quickly they were like gone.Just with being aware of them wwihtout any judgement.One of the meditations helped in bringing up these negative patterns to the surface of the concious from the bottoms of the subconcious.And it has cleared the mind so much.

So just dig deep in your subconcious,and be aware and watchful of whatever is coming up without any judgement.The only way for the subconcious to clear itself is through the concious.